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Monday, 17 February 2014

After breakfast on Day 7 we boarded our coach for an orientation tour of Vancouver, our first stop being Stanley Park.

The park has a long history and was one of the first areas to be explored in the city. The land was originally used by indigenous peoples for thousands of years before British Columbia was colonized by the British during the 1858 Fraser Canyon Gold Rush.

For many years after colonization, the future park with its abundant resources would also be home to nonaboriginal settlers. The land was later turned into Vancouver's first park when the city incorporated in 1886. It was named after Lord Stanley, a British politician who had recently been appointed governor general.

We walked around the park taking in the beauty then moved on to Brockton Point to see the First Nation's Totems.

The view beyond one of the huge gateways to the park.

Lions Gate Bridge in the distance

The Girl in the Wetsuit -although some believe it was a replicate of Copenhagen's The Little Mermaid, the creator stated: I didn't believe we should have a copy of the mermaid. She is
rightfully a symbol of Copenhagen... I proposed to have a life-size
scuba diver seated there. At that time scuba diving was getting quite
popular here in Vancouver and, just as important, I didn't know of any
similar sculpture anywhere in the world, it was a new idea.

On our way through the park to Prospect Point and Lowden's Lookout this 600 year old Cedar tree was pointed out to us.

That wasn't the oldest tree we saw though, this next one was 1000 years old and had been hollowed out by lightening!

We arrived at Prospect Point, the highest point in Stanley Park. Lowden's Lookout was originally the site of a signal station, which guided ships through First Narrows, the views were magnificent,

as was the flora.

We got a closer look at Lions Gate Bridge, opened in 1938, officially known as the First Narrows Bridge, it is a suspension bridge that crosses the first narrows of Burrard Inlet and connects the City of Vancouver to the North Shore municipalities of the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver and West Vancouver. The term "Lions Gate" refers to The Lions, a pair of mountain peaks north of Vancouver. Northbound traffic on the bridge heads in their general direction.

If you click on the photo you should be able to see the stone lions on either side of the bridge. Leaving Stanley Park behind we headed back into the city passing BC Place Stadium,

Built in 1985-1986. The outer park was designed by architects Joe Wai and Donal Vaughan, while the inner garden was conceived by Wang Zu-Xin as the chief architect, with the help of experts from the Landscape Architecture Company of Suzhou,
China. Funding for the project came from the Chinese and Canadian
governments, the local Chinese community, and other public and private
sector sources, and it opened on April 24, 1986, in time for Expo 86.

It is an oasis of calm in a busy city and I could have stayed there all day, however we had to return to our coach to be taken to the next place on the tour, historic Gastown,

where we were dropped off to get some lunch and have the rest of the day to ourselves. Gastown was Vancouver's first downtown core and is named after "Gassy" Jack Deighton, a Yorkshire seaman, steamboat captain and barkeep who arrived in 1867 to open the area's first Saloon.

There was also this historical plaque

and a steam powered clock!

Built to cover a steam grate, part of Vancouver's distributed
steam-heating system, the clock was built as a way to harness the steam
and to prevent street people from sleeping on the spot in cold weather.
Its original design was faulty and it had to be powered by electricity
after a breakdown. The steam mechanism was completely restored with the
financial support of local businesses as it had become a major tourist
attraction, and is promoted as a heritage feature although it is of
modern invention. The steam used is low pressure downtown-wide steam
heating network (from a plant adjacent to the Georgia Viaduct)
that powers a miniature steam engine in its base, in turn driving a
chain lift. The chain lift moves steel balls upward, where they are
unloaded and roll to a descending chain. The weight of the balls on the
descending chain drives a conventional pendulum clock escapement, geared
to the hands on the four faces. The steam also powers the clock's sound
production as Whistles used instead of bells to produce the Westminster "chime" and to signal the time.

After lunch in one of the many pubs/restaurants/bars we made our way to Harbour Centre. I'm not very good with heights but agreed to go up in with MWM as it promised spectacular views of the city. The Vancouver Lookout located atop the Harbour
Centre business building, was officially opened on August 13, 1977 by Neil Armstrong,
whose footprint was imprinted onto cement and was on display on the
viewing/observation deck until it was lost (or stolen) during
renovations. Glass elevators whisk visitors 168 meters (553 feet)
skyward from street level to the Observation Deck in 40 seconds, you can see them in the video below which we took before going in. Before you ask, the beeping you can hear is the sound of the pedestrian crossing where we were standing to take the video.

The views are magnificent, though I tried not to look down and left the filming to MWM.

After all that excitement we called in a Costa for a coffee before heading back to our hotel for a short rest before freshening up to go out to eat. We didn't want to go to far so we did a quick search online and found a restaurant/bar nearby with a decent menu where we didn't need to book. When we arrived at the bar we were told it was $10 each to come in as they were showing live cage fighting on the big screens! We told them we only wanted to eat and have a few drinks and promised not to the watch the TV and they let us in. Once inside we understood why they were charging people to come in because a lot of people were neither eating or drinking, they were just watching the screens. Anyway we enjoyed our food and a few beers and (don't tell them) the cage fighting! LOL

I hope you'll join me for Canada Part 7 when we go to Victoria, Vancouver Island, for a two night stay.

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"One's life is never in vain, no matter how short, if people remember you." Akelamalu 2009

"A person only has to prove what they believe if they are trying to convince someone else that it's true. I don't bother trying to prove anything because what others believe doesn't matter to me." Akelamalu 2010

Welcome to my home from home......

Take your shoes off and stay a while. Please leave a comment - I love comments and I promise to return the favour.

Who I am

I'm a Scorpio female, married with two sons, four grandsons and one granddaughter. Akelamalu is my Hawaian name, not that I'm Hawaian you understand I just like the name.
As my header says "I may tell you everything. I may tell you nothing" - depending on the mood I'm in.
I also practice Reiki, if you want to know more about this please see my favourite posts.
I have a webpage where I have published my Grandmother's biography, which was written by my father when he was 72. You can read it or buy a hard back copy - just click on the links above the photograph of KIT.
All photographs on this blog are copyrighted 2007 and must not be used without express permission from me.

DAN'S FI-VER (MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF NUTS) - My son's blog

MY WEBSITE - KIT - A BIOGRAPHY OF MY GRANDMOTHER

Kit - Book Reviews

Stephen

This was a fantastic read. My mother is a niece of Joe and so Kit was my Great Grandmother, and so relating to some of the characters was fantastic. Thanks for a moving tribute to our Great Grandmother.

Lorraine

How lovely and a wonderful tribute. Your father must be so proud and I think it is incredible he took the time to sit and write this out. I am so happy for him that this has seen the light of day and we are all able to read his words. Say a big thank you to him from me please.

Fancita

This has been the most moving story I have read in a long time. I will read this over and over again. Such a wonderful give you have given.

Jackie

I loved Kit's story! My family are from the same area, so much of it was very familiar to me. It is a wonderful heirloom!

Andrew

This biography is of my great grandmother. I am the youngest son of one of Joe's nieces and really enjoyed reading and learning lots about the family history. Thanks for the moving history lesson.

Mary

Beautiful.... spent the last few days reading this on and off. Once I started reading this I could not stop. Heartworming. Memories...

M.M.

Have done nothing else today but read your mother's story. Once I started I couldn't stop. She would be very proud. Thanks for a very fascinating and moving story!! I will be going to England for the first time later this month, but not around the Manchester area. It is a place I have always wanted to visit, not for the least of which is the resilience of it's people which your family's story certainly demonstrates. Thanks.

momo

its quite amazin becuse in scool we r learnin about riting a biography of 1 of our parents.i love it!!!!!

Robin

Loved it! Started and couldn't stop until the end. My only complaint is that I couldn't view any but the first photograph - would've loved to see more of Kit and her family. What a wonderful thing to do and what a treasure for Kit's family!

Karen

I have just finished reading KIT - A Biography of my Mother. What a wonderful, heartwarming story, I enjoyed each and every chaper. Hope it will be published as a book for all to read.

Lettuce

This is wonderful, Lamalu - i've got tears on my face too, lovely writing and what a great story and insight and memory - and everything that it is! i've just read the beginning, and will be back soon for more.Congrats, this really is marvellous!

Annelisa

I've read 'The Beginning'... the birth of Kit...and was engrossed! Although there was strife, and the catholics and protestants were not good bed-fellows, it is beautiful that your grandmother and grandfather came together, and in their affection for each other gave birth to little baby Kit... I will be back to read the next chapter soon... I would love to know more about this (your) family!

Dauna

I love the words that have flowed from your heart about your mother Kit. I feel like I know you and her through your words. I have tears in my eyes. Thank you so much for sharing it was beautiful. I will be sending people to read this and hope you publish in book form I would buy. Oh my what a great heart warming story of your mothers life, love ,struggles, wonderful children and victory. Kit lived!Many blessings to you,Angel

Thank you Ron.

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The Reiki Precepts

Just for today I will not worry;
Just for today I will not get angry;
Just for today I will be thankful for my many blessings;
Just for today I will be honest in my dealings with people;
Just for today I will be kind to every living thing.